# CVE-2016-5743: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code on Siemens SIMATIC industrial control systems via crafted packets, requiring immediate patching.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Jul 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m243-hgqw-35jc

## What is CVE-2016-5743?

CVE-2016-5743 is a critical code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Jul 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Siemens SIMATIC WinCC before 7.3 Update 10 and 7.4 before Update 1, SIMATIC BATCH before 8.1 SP1 Update 9 as distributed in SIMATIC PCS 7 through 8.1 SP1, SIMATIC OpenPCS 7 before 8.1 Update 3 as distributed in SIMATIC PCS 7 through 8.1 SP1, SIMATIC OpenPCS 7 before 8.2 Update 1 as distributed in SIMATIC PCS 7 8.2, and SIMATIC WinCC Runtime Professional before 13 SP1 Update 9 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted packets.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5743?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Siemens Simatic Batch, Siemens Simatic Openpcs 7, Siemens Simatic Wincc.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5743?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-5743 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-5743 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5743 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-40359](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-40359/): Path traversal in OpenPCS 7 V8.2 (high 7.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5743 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5743 is a critical code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Jul 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-5743 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5743/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5743/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5743
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5743
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5743

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5743/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.